Ruo, Ippudo dish out great summer noodlesIt’s that time of year again, when children gather around convenience stores to pick up their favorite ice cream bars and all throughout the city people are forsaking standard hot Americanos and cappuccinos for iced caffeine. Cold noodles, of course, are also an all-time summer favorite. Naengmyeon (cold Korean noodles) is a classic, but why not change it u

Food July 1, 2011

Celebrity drinkers putting vinegar health fad on the mapVinegar, we put it in our salad dressings and dip dumplings in it with some soy sauce. Up until 2005, drinking it was not the norm. Then food goliath Daesang’s Chungjungwon released Drink Hong Cho ― a brilliantly packaged and pleasantly fruity vinegar squash ― for health-conscious Koreans. The beverage was a major hit, reeling in 25.3 billion

Food June 24, 2011

Famed winemaker Philippe Melka meets with Korean sommeliers to create two special winesNapa Valley-based winemaker Philippe Melka did his research starting in 2005 to create two wines tailored for Korean palates. “I talked to mostly Korean sommeliers and restaurant managers,” the 46-year-old told The Korea Herald. A pattern emerged. It looked like 80 to 90 percent of the market was cornered by Fre

Food June 17, 2011

Stronger after touch-up criticism, Jessica Gomes tackles ‘Dancing with the Stars’Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Jessica Gomes is out to prove she can dance. “I know that I have rhythm,” the 26-year-old told The Korea Herald. Having racked up experience as a gymnast for five years, Gomes says she mastered her groove as a teen doing hip hop routines in fashion parades but up until now has been da

Television June 16, 2011

Three spots near Gangnam Station dole out wallet-friendly, tasty grubGangnam ― as in the area near its namesake subway station ― is not necessarily the first place that springs to mind when a foodie is out looking for a gastronomic treat. More known for its “pojang machas” (street food stalls), karaoke and clubs, this is a spot famed for attracting night owls eager to socialize, de-stress and have

Food June 10, 2011

Korean consumers showing increased interest in beauty food productsIn Korea, the desire to reverse time, to stall its effect on our appearance has spurred the growth of the beauty food market. Supplements, jellies and drinks all promising to help rejuvenate skin have been edging their way into an industry dominated by cosmetics, treatments and surgery. “About two to three years ago, I believe that

Food June 3, 2011

Premium minerals sought out by health-conscious consumersAt Anzu, a Seoul-based Japanese tonkatsu restaurant, salt plays a crucial role. Generally an invisible entity that we take for granted, the edible rock arrives in vivid green and golden hues alongside the establishment’s fried vegetables. Powder fine, one tastes of green tea, the other of curry. For their tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet), the

Food May 27, 2011

Authentic soda fountain drinks for a cool summerMilkshakes so thick they require a spoon and floats topped with scoops of ice cream are classic American drinks that stir up fond memories of the 1950s, when the soda fountains, burger joints and diners that served them abounded. Even today, that is where you will most likely find them, served up with a burger and fries, which, according to Brooklyn

Food May 20, 2011

Actress Lee Dae-hey says not focusing on scandalous former curatorEveryone loves a good scandal. Embezzlement, a fabricated academic degree, an affair with a high-level government official, and the woman-behind-it-all, former curator Shin Jeong-ah, kept the presses running with juicy fodder throughout the summer of 2007. It was life imitating art ― the perfect soap-operatic story. One woman dupes

Television May 17, 2011

Gangwon Province dish is a versatile, do-it-yourself take on chilled noodlesOutside the weathered storefront of Chuncheon Makguksu in Euljiro-4-ga, Seoul, patrons file in to grab a table and enjoy the establishment’s famed noodles. Even past lunch hour, the restaurant is packed. Bowl after bowl of the traditional Gangwon Province dish, “makguksu,” arrives. In the kitchen, a woman works with a cont

Food May 13, 2011

Cocktails and nosh for urban bar-hoppersBalmy weather takes nightlife up a notch, bringing the crowds into watering holes throughout the city. Beer, wine and soju are tip-top staples for the thirsty party-goer. For the pub crawler in the mood for a sip, cocktails are where it’s at. Here’s a quick look at a couple of places worth checking out for a tasty tipple or two. The Timber House If you’re lo

Food May 6, 2011

Piggy Dolls and full-figured leading ladies bask in limelightFor years, thin girl groups have traipsed and wriggled across the stage, belting out catchy tunes while executing perfectly choreographed moves. There was the occasional breakthrough not-so-skinny act ― like the iconic Big Mama ― but those bands generally stayed away from the realm of dance music and brought on the soul. Then, in January

Television May 2, 2011

Singer-actress puts work in China on hold for romantic comedyMaking a comeback after a six year-hiatus can faze even the best of actresses, which might be why pixie-cute Jang Nara is making her return to the South Korean small screen on familiar territory ― the romantic comedy. Having cemented her reputation in the rom-com genre with series like SBS’ “Bright Girl’s Success,” the upcoming KBS drama

Television April 27, 2011

Shops dish out blue cheese scrambles, 11 kinds of cream cheese and moreAt La Fromagerie, the egg scramble sandwich is above and beyond. Never mind the pillowed hunks of house-made bread it comes cradled in. It is the bits of melted blue cheese the diner stumbles upon with each fluffy bite that makes the experience worth repeating. Run by two sisters who love cheese, the new shop specializes in cui

Food April 22, 2011

Carrot cake and banana bread for the sentimental sweet-fiendCertain desserts hearken back to the hearth. One bite stirs up childhood memories, like the cream cheese frosting over a slab of carrot cake, or that moist, dense crumb off a freshly-baked wedge of banana bread that mom packed for school. “I went for what I ate often,” Holly Sorim Yang, owner of The Cheesecake, explained why she put carro

Food April 15, 2011